I’m sorry, at some point Mexicans who have entered the United States illegally to search for a greater opportunity and have prospered, need decide just what country they represent. They can always go back to Mexico, they are adults now, no one is forcing them to stay.

Following USA Olympic medalists Leo Manzano’s second place effort and silver medal in the 1500 meter race in the London Summer Olympic Games, he did something that was questionable and misguided. The USA athlete ran around the track with the American and Mexican flag. Huh? Why is it that you only hear of hyphenated Mexican-Americans these days? You never hear of any athlete as Irish-American, etc. Oops correction, we have African-American as well even though they may never have set foot on the continent of Africa. However, it is not like there are no athletes who were born in other countries that have become American.

Now, thanks to U.S. Olympic medalist Leo Manzano, and what I consider to be the misguided and ill-mannered way he chose to celebrate his silver medal in the 1500-meters final, I get the chance to think through the subject of flag-waving once again.

After Manzano finished his race and secured his medal, he did what athletes typically do at the Olympics. He held up his country’s flag — the Stars and Stripes.

The 27-year-old was born in Mexico, but the United States is his country now. His father migrated here illegally from the city of Dolores Hidalgo. Manzano was brought here when he was 4. Like most immigrants, they came in search of greater opportunity. And they found it — for themselves, and their children.

That little boy eventually became a U.S. citizen. And then, after a lot of hard work and thousands of hours of training, he got the chance to represent his country and compete in the Olympics. And, to put the cherry on the sundae, he actually wins a silver medal. The last time an American won a medal of any kind in the 1500 meters was 44 years ago.

I am sorry, I must have missed what three letters were on the front of Manzano’s shirt. I believe it read U – S – A. Exactly what country was the one that made it possible for this Olympic athlete to make his dream come true? When was the last time you saw an Italian-American, Irish-American or any other athlete the immigrated to the United States carrying both flags after winning? Maybe this is exactly the reason why illegals should never be given citizenship to the US. It would appear that they can’t seem to grasp what it means to be an American, so why make it that easy and every give any form of amnesty to illegals.

You can’t help but be proud of Manzano and the country that allowed him the opportunity to fulfill his potential.

So why did Manzano carry two flags with him on his victory lap? As the world looked on, he held up both the U.S. flag and the Mexican flag. Not a good look. And not a good idea.

Comments

16 Responses to “Leo Manzano Waived Both USA & Mexico Flags after Winning Silver Medal in 1500-meters in London Olympics … Um, Which Country Did You Represent?”

karen on
August 13th, 2012 10:51 am

You might want to change FAGS in your title post to FLAGS so as to not ruffle the feathers of the politically correct police.
___________________________
SM: Fixed (klaasend)

A Texas Grandfather on
August 13th, 2012 10:57 am

This is a prime example of how little these Mexicans think of the USA. They still believe that all of the Southwest including Texas, New Mexico,Arizona, California and parts of colorado and Oklahoma is a part of Mexico.

It always takes an event like this to hammer home bad behavior. Where was the American coach?

mc on
August 13th, 2012 11:08 am

::cough:: flags

Miklo on
August 13th, 2012 12:07 pm

But let’s face it –

The evil USA has hogged almost all of the Olympic Gold Medals, rendering less-developed nations like Mexico with ‘nada’.

Sigh…

Tamikosmom on
August 13th, 2012 12:13 pm

“In the first place, we should insist that if the immigrant who comes here in good faith becomes an American and assimilates himself to us, he shall be treated on an exact equality with everyone else, for it is an outrage to discriminate against any such man because of creed, or birthplace, or origin. But this is predicated upon the person’s becoming in every facet an American, and nothing but an American. There can be no divided allegiance here. Any man who says he is an American, but something else also, isn’t an American at all. We have room for but one flag, the American flag. We have room for but one language here, and that is the English language and we have room for but one sole loyalty and that is a loyalty to the American people.”

Theodore Roosevelt – 1907

Tamikosmom on
August 13th, 2012 1:54 pm

O/T

Access the following link and … in a nutshell … learn of Allen West’s position on the issues.

Allen West for Congress 2012!!

TOMORROW IS THE BIG DAY THAT WE GET OUT AND VOTE FOR ALLEN WEST. We will stand for him, like he stands for us. Do all that you can. Find your polling place at the link below. Tell everyone you know to share the message of support for West. If they are local get them out to vote, if they are not, have them engage their contacts, neighbors, and anyone else that will listen.

Spread the word, let’s help Congressman West get a big victory tomorrow. #VoteAllenWest

WASHINGTON, Aug. 13, 2012 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ — The Coalition of Americans for Political Equality PAC, having endorsed Congressman ALLEN WEST and political grassroots leader BYRON DONALDS, has launched Get-out-the-vote (GOTV) campaigns focused on THE TUESDAY, AUGUST 14, 2012 PRIMARIES IN FLORIDA. Get-out-the-vote (GOTV) efforts include local TV advertisements, voice broadcasts, social media, search placements, and targeted videos.

Congressman West faces Martin County Sheriff Robert Crowder in the Republican primary. West moved north to the newly created 18th Congressional district, after his district was changed, in an effort to be re-elected to the U.S. House this year. Byron Donalds is running for a chance to represent Florida’s 19th Congressional district in the U.S. House of Representatives against six other candidates, including Chauncey Goss, Paige Kreegle, Trey Radel, and John Davidow.

I’ve been told to stay on topic, so I’d really like to understand how comments #6/7 are on topic, so I can learn from them.

Really, I would!

Tamikosmom on
August 13th, 2012 7:01 pm

O/T – Reminder

Tomorrow is election day for Florida’s Repub Primary and Allen West is counting on you to get out the vote.
Posted by allenwestrepublic on August 13, 2012

Dear Friend,

Tomorrow is election day for Florida’s Republican Primary and I’m counting on you to get out the vote. After you cast your vote, I hope you will join us tomorrow night as we watch the returns come in for the Republican Primary.

The gathering begins at 7:30pm at our Stuart Campaign Headquarters located at 735 Colorado Ave Suite 9 in Stuart. Light refreshments will be served and we will be watching the results as they come in for the 18TH Congressional District as well as state and local offices.

haha in 2050 mexicans will outnumber you so better teach your kids espanol!!!!nothing u can do about it because we breed like rabbits..united states of mexico…hahahahahahaha
____________________________
SM: Not sure what that has to do with this post. Sorry, but if you ever plan to be successful, they better know how to speak English. This comment pretty much proves the point of the post. Thanks for being the perfect example.
R

SUPER DAVE on
August 14th, 2012 7:16 am

#11: HECTOR ? ANCHOR ? BREED ALL YOU WANT ESE. WITH SMALL BRAINS LIKE YOURS, WE HAVE NOTHING TO WORRY ABOUT, YOUR OFFSPRING WILL STILL BE DIGGING DITCHES AND SEWER LINES, STEALING CARS AND HUBCAPS
VATO.

NGBoston on
August 14th, 2012 8:05 am

SM says,

Mexicans who have entered the United States illegally to search for a greater opportunity and have prospered, need decide just what country they represent.

There is nothing wrong with being a Mexican, or a Mexican-American, if of course, you did it the right way and entered here legally. Dual Citizenship? No problem.

While you are representing your “Country” while an Olympic Athlete, why should there be ANY confusion who you represent?

Maybe slightly off topic- but this is another reason why as an Independent, will continue to vote Republican for all my life most likely:

IMMIGRATION REFORM

We have a huge problem with it in this Country. Appears as if any President with the “D” after their party affiliation has a HISTORY of being more liberal regarding their policies on it.

RK on
August 14th, 2012 9:58 am

#5:
Since Teddy was before my time, I was not so aware of this writings and speeches. Good thing we now have the web to help find these things. There are a few points I need to make as to the quote passage.

The date is incorrect; this was not during his presidency, but is from letter written in Jan 1919, days before his death and shortly after the end of WWI. It echoes an “Americanization” theme he addressed several times during his later years as a private citizen.

Speaking in 1916: Col. Roosevelt said he came to St. Louis to speak on Americanism — ” . . . I do not speak of the hyphen when it is employed as a mere matter of convenience, although personally I like to avoid its use even in such manner. I speak of and condemn its use whenever it represents an effort to form political parties along racial lines or to bring pressure to bear on parties and politicians, not for American purposes, but in the interest of some group of voters of a certain national origin, or of the country from which they or their fathers came. . . .”

The single context of “political” actions is a clear message about when and why he offered these opinions; the words speak for themselves. No doubt there are several opinions today on this topic, including my own; however, my focus here is TR’s commentary.

One quoted sentence above that was different than the original text may not represent the same idea as TR wrote: ” . . . We should insist that if the immigrant who comes here does in good faith become an American and assimilates himself to us he shall be treated on an exact equality with every one else, for it is an outrage to discriminate against any such man because of creed or birth-place or origin. . . .”

Although the difference may be seen as negligible, the replaced text “. . . we should insist that if the immigrant who comes here in good faith becomes an American and assimilates himself to us . . .” that lacks “does” and pluralizes “become(s)” alters the meaning. How each of us perceives this change may be a matter of opinion, but the words are not the same.

“he shall be treated on an exact equality with everyone else, for it is an outrage to discriminate against any such man because of creed, or birthplace, or origin”

NGBoston on
August 15th, 2012 8:58 pm

#15—And TR was exactly right. No one should be discriminated against because of creed, birthplace or origin.

Immigrate here legally, work and aspire to achieve the American dream.

It can be anyone’s to have- doing it the lawful and honorable way.

Massachusetts is a haven for illegal CRIMMIGRANTS who fruadulate State and Federal Welfare & Social Assistance Programs, break the laws, rob, steal, maime and murder & partake in violent crimes while our Governor looks the other way and with his PC language refers to them as “undocumented Citizens”.